Man who died in Sebastian County jail had arrest history

Thursday

Aug 2, 2018 at 12:15 AMAug 2, 2018 at 10:04 AM

A detainee found dead last week in the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center was booked into the facility multiple times this year.

Jail deputies on July 24 found Adrian Alexander Goodwin, 33, of Fort Smith unresponsive in his cell at the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center and he was later pronounced dead. Goodwin, who pleaded guilty to violent and drug-related felonies in 2013, was in booked into the Detention Center four times in 2018, mostly on suspicion of offenses related to court mandates, fines and parole violations.

Deputies found Goodwin unresponsive in the Detention Center after Arkansas Parole officials on July 12 arrested him on suspicion of felony failure to appear and absconding, misdemeanor failure to appear and failure to pay fine and a parole violation and Arkansas Department of Corrections commitment hold. It was the latest of his four arrests in 2018, the first three of which he either posted bond for or qualified for signature bond, according to arrest records.

Fort Smith police on Feb. 12 arrested Goodwin on suspicion of misdemeanor fleeing — his only 2018 arrest not related to court mandates, fines or parole violations, according to arrest records. In this arrest, Goodwin fled from Fort Smith police officer Bradley Marion after Marion checked a room at Seasons Inn, 2219 S. Waldron Road, in reference to Goodwin possibly being held against his will. Marion eventually cornered Goodwin in the hotel and took him to the ground after Goodwin didn't comply with his orders to go to the ground, according to the arrest report.

Fort Smith police on Feb. 27 arrested Goodwin, who was wanted for a parole violation, on suspicion of felony failure to appear and absconding, a parole violation, a parole mandate and failure to comply with a court order after they saw his car in the parking lot of Seasons Inn. Officers Zachary Hall and Donald Cassady found Goodwin relaxing in the bed of a pickup in the hotel parking lot, according to the arrest report.

Goodwin in 2013 pleaded guilty in Sebastian County Circuit Court to felony possession of MDMA, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated assault and third-degree domestic battery, second offense and misdemeanor interference with emergency communication, theft of property and possession of marijuana. Prosecuting Attorney Dan Shue in February 2016 withdrew a petition to revoke charge filed in relation to the case based on Goodwin's plea, according to court documents.

After Goodwin's death, Shue also waived another petition to revoke charge filed against him, according to documents.

Investigators with Arkansas State Police are looking into Goodwin's death, in which emergency room workers pronounced him dead after jail deputies at 2:30 a.m. July 24 found him not breathing during a routine cell check. The results of the investigation will be reviewed by officials with the Sebastian County Prosecutor's Office, according to a Sheriff's Office news release.

The Times Record on July 25 filed a Freedom of Information Act request to the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office for all surveillance footage of Goodwin's cell leading up to deputies finding him unresponsive and the corresponding incident report. Capt. Philip Pevehouse said in an email that sheriff's officials would not be able to fulfill the request at that time.

"The requested item is an active part of the Arkansas State Police's investigation," Pevehouse said in the email.

In wake of Goodwin's death, officials with the Sheriff's Office are conducting an internal investigation into departmental policies, the release states.

Goodwin, known as "a1" by some, was buried at Gravel Hill Cemetery in Russellville. His funeral will be Friday morning at St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Russellville, his obituary states.

Goodwin is survived by three daughters, two sons, his parents, three sisters and five brothers, his obituary states.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct to state the funeral will be Friday. An earlier version of this story and an article on page A1 of Thursday's paper contained the wrong date.

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